THE

EMMS Nazareth

EMMS NAZARETH

HEAD OFFICE Laurel Gables, Claude Street, Hetton le Hole, Tyne & Wear, DH5 0AU, United Kingdom + 44 (0)191 645 0 643 --------------------

ISRAELI OFFICE The Nazareth Hospital EMMS, PO Box 11, Nazareth 16100, Israel

Newsletter Incorporating Seeds of Hope

+ 972 (0)4 602 8888 -------------------info@nazarethtrust.org ------------------

REGISTERED OFFICE 151 St. Vincent Street Glasgow G2 5NU UK ------------------

Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. Mark 16:6 NIV

EMMS Nazareth is a company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland - Company No: SC 225661 EMMS Nazareth is a charity registered in Scotland Charity No: SC 032510 Registered as a foreign owned company and not-for-profit institution in Israel - No: 560019945

Spring 2009

I would like to help the work of The Nazareth Trust Please Tick Please send me a prayer newsletter so I can pray for your work on a regular basis. I would like to help increase awareness of The Nazareth Trust. Please send me 3 posters and 15 brochures. I would like to find out more about becoming a Nazareth Trust Volunteer Co-ordinator. Please send me copies of the Nazareth Trust Magazine so I can give them to others.

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In this edition...

Please accept this gift of: £

Nazareth Hospital

Page 2

School of Nursing

Page 3

Nazareth Village

Page 3

Seeds of Hope

Page 4

Easter & Spring Appeal

Page 8

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Please return to our Head Office at: The Nazareth Trust, Laurel Gables, Claude Street Hetton le Hole, DH5 0AU

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Please return to our Head Office at: The Nazareth Trust, Laurel Gables, Claude Street Hetton le Hole, DH5 0AU

SPRING

WELCOME

APPEAL

N

ews of the impact of the global economic crisis seems to get worse on a daily basis. People are losing their jobs, their savings and, in some cases, even their homes. We are attuned and mindful of the impact of the financial crisis on the lives of our friends and supporters and that hard choices are having to be made out of sheer necessity. We appreciate that making one-off financial gifts is becoming increasingly difficult for people and that, wherever possible, giving is more planned, using regular donations over a specific period of time. It is with this in mind that we ask you to consider making a regular donation by direct debit. It may surprise you to learn that, despite almost 150 years of healing and service in the name of Jesus, there are actually only 45 people who make a regular monthly donation to us here. So it is now, in this environment of worldwide economic crisis that we need your help the most. We need help not just to purchase equipment or fund development, but to actually just keep going. It is with this in mind that we invite you to set up a direct debit donation to us. You can do this by contacting your bank and using the information below, or online using our website at www.nazarethtrust.org. If you do, please drop us a line to let us know. Alternatively, you can request a direct debit pack from us using the form on the inside cover of this newsletter. Just tick the option that says “Please send me details of how I can give on a regular basis.” Your regular giving commitment will make a huge difference because you will be enabling us, as followers of Jesus, to continue healing, educating and serving in one of the most difficult regions of the world. Please remember that whether or not you are able to give, we continue to ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers. And tell others about us. You can request posters and leaflets - even become a Volunteer Co-ordinator for your area. Just let us know how we can help you pray and spread the word of what the Lord is doing in Nazareth.

I

t is a genuine pleasure to welcome you to the Spring edition of our Newsletter.

The last three months have been a very busy time for us here. We have made some tremendous strides forward in Nazareth and beyond, as well as some significant changes in how we present ourselves to you, our supporters, and to the public at large. I cannot help reflecting that the thresholds we are crossing at EMMS Nazareth are made all the more significant by this time of year. Easter provided us, as followers of Jesus, the opportunity to reflect and rejoice in the new potential given to each one of us by His death and resurrection. The strides we are making as an organisation are also providing the opportunity to reflect and rejoice in His provision and His inspiration, as we see new potential being realised in our work in Nazareth and beyond. The most significant change for us has been that of our operating name. As our profile in the UK increased in the last 18 months or so, we became aware of (and increasingly concerned by) a lingering confusion in people’s minds between the two quite separate charities of EMMS International and ourselves, EMMS Nazareth. A solution was needed to prevent this confusion from developing further so, although the history and significance of E.M.M.S. remains of the greatest important to us, after prayer and much work it was decided that we would now operate under the name: “The Nazareth Trust” It is important to make clear that The Nazareth Trust is only the operating name and EMMS Nazareth, as the name of the registered charity, remains unchanged. In addition, due to the deep significance of E.M.M.S. in Israel, there will be no change of operating name in Nazareth itself. The second major event for us is the inauguration of our significant web project. Our new web-site is now on line at: www.nazarethtrust.org Within the site you will find a huge repository of information about our work, from our history right through to our future aspirations. But this is more than simply a ‘shop-window’ into our work - there are also considerable ’community’ elements in the site. In fact, this newsletter you are reading is deliberately very short because you will be able to find all the very latest news on the website as well as something we believe is very special - our Virtual Prayer Wall. You will find a regularly updated list of prayer requests, and any answers which we become aware of - so there, for all to see, will be a living account of our prayer-lives reflecting the hopes, needs and rejoicing from every corner of our work.

Our bank details for your direct debit contribution are: When you visit, please sign up as a member. There is plenty to see and, with regularly updated information and exciting developments, our new website is well worth visiting time and time again.

BANK NAME: Bank of Scotland SORT CODE: 80-02-28 ACCOUNT NO: 00111367 ADDRESS: 1 Ardmillan Terrace, Edinburgh, EH11 2JN

Joseph R. Main Chief Executive Officer

Thank you for your support and commitment to us.

Joseph R. Main Chief Executive Officer

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NAZARETH

NAZARETH HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY SERVICE

HOSPITAL

Meditation

A

fter 4 years of planning and hard work our new operating rooms are almost ready! In early June we hope to hold the opening & dedication event for the new facility. This event will mark a major step forward as we move into our new state of the art operating rooms from the operating facilities we have been using since 1921! The project has been a major challenge from start to finish. This was even more so after the second Lebanon war in 2006 which brought additional design requirements from the Israeli Government. We were then required to construct the facility in such a way as to be able to withstand all but a direct hit from a missile. Although the building work will be completed, we still need to purchase equipment to ensure the new Operating Rooms can function. We have secured assistance for most of the items required and can transfer some items from the old facilities, but this will still leave us short. Support, therefore, is still needed to bring this project to full realisation. After the recent conflict in Gaza, which ended on the 18th January, our Hospital played a key role in the humanitarian aid effort from Nazareth. Alongside the other hospitals in the area we helped supply much-needed medical equipment, medicines and disposal items. Staff

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12: 1

There are many things in life which cause us to stumble in our spiritual life, such as despair things which separate believers from the life of holiness. The people of God complained and harvested destruction and loss. We should trust God and His promises and not let doubt enter our hearts or it will stop the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The question here is should we doubt God’s love when the experience is long and hard? Do you sometimes feel that God has abandoned you or turned his back on you? Dear sisters and brothers, dear beloved ones, let us rejoice in times of distress and hardship, trusting that God never turns his back on us. Doubt is the devil’s strong weapon which he uses to weaken our faith and our relationship with God. Rev Emad Daibes

PRAYER BOX Please pray for the continuing work towards the development of a Spiritual Care Policy for the Nazareth Hospital. Pray for the Lord’s leading as the Pastoral Committee, with the help of the Chief Executive, work towards this goal.

PRAYER BOX Pray that the need for equipment in the new Operating Rooms will be met and that the facility will be able to meet its full potential of serving and healing the people of Nazareth in the name of Jesus.

Please also pray for the success of our Chaplaincy Appeal, the total of which is currently £5,452 . 25

Please continue to pray for the people in Gaza who still struggle. 2

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SCHOOL OF

NAZARETH HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY SERVICE

NURSING

W

e are delighted to report that work is about to start on the new auditorium. Having received major support from BibleLands in the United Kingdom, Nazareth Project Inc. in the United States and the Israeli Ministry of Health, we have been able to plan and schedule the works which we hope will be complete by October Plans of the new auditorium of this year.

The Good News Club has been running since October 2008

The children’s ministry continued into 2009 with the Good News Club. Over twenty children of hospital staff, their friends and relations come each time for the two hour club, which includes an hour of worship and teaching, followed by an hour of games or crafts. The club is run by the Child Evangelism Fellowship, helping the children learn more about Jesus.

We are also very proud of the Director of our School, Dr. Amal Khazin, who recently published her second book on the subject of parenting. It is written in Arabic and is available to buy on-line.

NAZARETH VILLAGE

D

uring the Easter period, the Nazareth Village staff and volunteers performed a moving rendition of the Passion of Jesus.

Volunteer, Waldir De Souza, and hospital chaplain, Glen Wegner, both spent time working with the chaplaincy department. Waldir, who is completing his MTh at Spurgeon’s college, spent time working with the chaplains and participating in hospital visitation and events.

Visitors marvelled as the key aspects of the Easter account were acted out in authentic costume against the background of our faithful recreation of 1st Century Nazareth. The performance was genuinely compelling as visitors 'witnessed' Jesus wash the disciples' feet, saw the transaction of betrayal in front of the synagogue, watched the trial and suffering of our Lord before ultimately having the women brush past them in confounded excitement at finding the tomb empty. Rev Suheil Bathish and Rev Emad Daibes welcomed the participation of Brazilian volunteer Waldir De Souza

The power and immediacy of the performance did much to reinforce the significance of Nazareth Village PRAYER BOX

Glen Wegner, who came as part of the volunteer workparty from Australia, also spent time with the chaplains sharing his experiences as a hospital chaplain. As the chaplaincy team work towards producing a spiritual care policy, it was extremely helpful to hear from another chaplains personal experience.

Please support the School of Nursing building works with your prayers, that they may be concluded on time and the final facility be a blessing to our students. Pray also for the Village as visitor numbers may go down over the next few months because of the worldwide 6

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NAZARETH HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY SERVICE

Our Ministry

Seeds of Hope

Christmas activities at the hospital included the Candlelight service, carolling at the hospitals in Nazareth and in our own hospital and for the first time in recent years, a shared Christmas meal on the hospital compound.

NAZARETH HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY SERVICE

March 2009 MEET REV EMAD DAIBES Rev Emad has been serving at the Nazareth Hospital for the past three months. It is the first time he has been assigned to work as a hospital chaplain but not the first time he serves in a Pastoral care position. He served previously in the Rev Emad is a minister from the Episcopal Holy Land Institute for the Dioceses of Jerusalem Deaf in Salt, Jordan and was also in charge of St Paul’s Home for the Elderly as part of his responsibilities as minister of St Paul’s Church in Amman. Hospital Chaplaincy is one of the main roots of pastoral care, including counselling, caring for the poor, crisis care, encouragement, ministry to the bereaved, soul care and spiritual guidance.

The nativity play was a highlight of the Candlelight Service

The Candlelight service included carols, a meditation by Rev Emad Daibes and a nativity play performed by children of the Good News Club. The hospital auditorium had standing room only! The shared meal was well attended by staff members and their families who gathered for a time of fellowship and food. The evening was led by Rev Suheil Bathish and with a message given by Yousif Ajaj.

The Nazareth Hospital serves a variety of Christian denominations as well as other religions. Our service therefore becomes unique, taking into consideration the diversity of our community, including them and involving them in our diverse Pastoral Care services. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

The Pastoral team held a Christmas meal on the hospital compound for staff and volunteers

Psalm 119: 105

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